INSPECTION REPORT the JOHN ROAN SCHOOL Blackheath LEA Area
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INSPECTION REPORT THE JOHN ROAN SCHOOL Blackheath LEA area: Greenwich Unique reference number: 100192 Headteacher: Mr C Dent Lead inspector: Mr R Hancock Dates of inspection: 19 – 22 January 2004 Inspection number: 259196 Inspection carried out under section 10 of the School Inspections Act 1996 © Crown copyright 2004 This report may be reproduced in whole or in part for non-commercial educational purposes, provided that all extracts quoted are reproduced verbatim without adaptation and on condition that the source and date thereof are stated. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the School Inspections Act 1996, the school must provide a copy of this report and/or its summary free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL Type of school: Comprehensive School category: Voluntary controlled Age range of pupils: 11–18 Gender of pupils: Mixed Number on roll: 1147 School address: Maze Hill Blackheath London Postcode: SE3 7UD Telephone number: 020 8516 7555 Fax number: 020 8516 7594 Appropriate authority: Governing body Name of chair of governors: Mr M Moore Date of previous inspection: 27 April 1998 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL The John Roan school is an educational foundation dating back to the 17th century. Now, surrounded by very affluent housing, the school occupies two sites in the borough of Greenwich, the main building overlooking parkland. This mixed school for students in the 11 to 18 range is about the same size as other secondary schools. There are 1147 students on the roll and there are considerably more boys than girls. There are 165 students in the sixth form, mostly female. The students come from a very wide variety of backgrounds, many from other parts of Greenwich which are some of the most deprived areas in south London. The proportion of students eligible for free school meals is well above average. Many students, about 40 per cent of the total roll, are from minority ethnic backgrounds and some 29 languages are spoken at the school. About 60 students are learning English as an additional language although only four are at an early stage of English language acquisition. The proportion of students with special educational needs is roughly in line with the national average but the numbers of students with a statement of need is above average. Most of these students have social, emotional or behavioural difficulties. Attainment on entry is below average. The school has Beacon status and is involved in a number of developments such as the Excellence in Cities initiative. The school won a Schools Achievement Award in 2002. The John Roan School - 3 INFORMATION ABOUT THE INSPECTION TEAM Members of the inspection team Subject responsibilities 2715 R Hancock Lead inspector 9115 T Clarke Lay inspector 9748 C Hayes Lay inspector 14871 B Buteux Team inspector English (11-16) and English (post- 16) English as an additional language 30553 R Fuller Team inspector Mathematics (11-16) and Mathematics (post-16) 33211 G Abel Team inspector Science 30597 R Howells Team inspector Biology (post-16) 2183 P Thompson Team inspector Information and communication technology (ICT) Business (post-16) 4426 T Fitchett Team inspector Modern foreign languages 15372 P Walker Team inspector History (11-16) and History (post- 16) 10392 D Ratcliff Team inspector Geography Citizenship 31821 B McCann Team inspector Physical education 18912 C Large Team inspector Religious education 8552 W Hart Team inspector Design and technology 31683 S Beaven Team inspector Music 1510 S Browning Team inspector Art and design 16227 J Phillips Team inspector Special educational needs The inspection contractor was: Open Book Inspections 6 East Point High Street Seal Sevenoaks TN15 OEG Any concerns or complaints about the inspection or the report should be made initially to the inspection contractor. The procedures are set out in the leaflet ‘Complaining about Ofsted Inspections’, which is available from Ofsted Publications Centre (telephone 07002 637833) or Ofsted’s website (www.ofsted.gov.uk). The John Roan School - 4 REPORT CONTENTS Page PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT 6-10 PART B: COMMENTARY ON THE MAIN INSPECTION FINDINGS STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY STUDENTS 11-16 Standards achieved in subjects and courses Students’ attitudes, values and other personal qualities QUALITY OF EDUCATION PROVIDED BY THE SCHOOL 16-23 Teaching and learning The curriculum Care, guidance and support Partnership with parents, other schools and the community LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT 23-26 PART C: THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION IN SUBJECTS AND COURSES 27-50 SUBJECTS AND COURSES IN KEY STAGES 3 AND 4 SUBJECTS AND COURSES IN THE SIXTH FORM PART D: SUMMARY OF THE MAIN INSPECTION JUDGEMENTS 51 The John Roan School - 5 PART A: SUMMARY OF THE REPORT OVERALL EVALUATION The school provides a satisfactory education for its students although standards are below national averages. The achievement of students in the main school is satisfactory given their levels of attainment when they enter the school. Students in the sixth form under-achieved in 2002 but their performance was much better in 2003. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in Years 7 to 11 and is good in the sixth form. The attitudes of most students are positive and the overall standard of their behaviour, although very mixed, is satisfactory. In the classroom, behaviour is often good. The school is well led and managed. The governing body provides satisfactory support. The school gives satisfactory value for money. The school’s main strengths and weaknesses are: · Standards are not high enough and achievement is not as good as it needs to be. · The school is well led and has a strong plan for raising standards. · The school provides very good in-service training for its teachers. · Lessons are well organised but are not often inspiring and exciting: teaching is not focusing enough on the needs of individual learners. · Insufficient use is made of ICT in learning. · Attendance is unsatisfactory but improving. Punctuality is unsatisfactory. · Provision in science in Years 7 to 11 is unsatisfactory. · Students are well supported and relationships are harmonious but students are not sufficiently independent in their learning. · Financial management is very good. · The school does not have an effective system for monitoring the overall progress of students. · Aspects of accommodation are unsatisfactory and there are shortages of resources in some subjects. The school has made satisfactory progress since it was last inspected in April 1998. Most, but not all, of the key issues identified by that report have been addressed. Standards are a little higher and the quality of teaching and learning has improved slightly. The relatively new headteacher is providing very good leadership and the school has a strong plan for raising attainment and improving the overall quality of education it provides. There are already signs of good progress. STANDARDS ACHIEVED all schools similar schools Performance compared with: 2000 2001 2002 2002 Year 11 GCSE/GNVQ examinations E C D A Year 13 A/AS level and VCE examinations E E E Key: A - well above average; B – above average; C – average; D – below average; E – well below average For Year 11, similar schools are those whose pupils attained similarly at the end of Year 9. Nationally validated data for 2003 test and examination results was not available at the time of the inspection. Standards are below average throughout the school. The achievement of students is satisfactory in the main school. It is unsatisfactory in the sixth form although examination results improved in 2003 and the standard of current work shows that students’ achievement is getting better. The trend of improvement in results in national tests at the end of Year 9 is in line with the national trend but the trend of improvement in GCSE examination results is above the national trend. Standards in English, mathematics and science are below average at the ends of Year 9 and Year The John Roan School - 6 11; they are not high enough. GCSE examination results have been good in drama but are not high enough in all other subjects. The achievement of students with special educational needs is mostly good but those for whom English is an additional language could achieve more if their needs were better addressed. Higher-attaining students do not always achieve as well as they should. The school makes satisfactory provision for the development of students’ personal qualities. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is also satisfactory. Students’ attitudes are positive but behaviour is very mixed. Often good in classrooms and when students are moving between sites, it sometimes deteriorates in corridors and on stairways, where students can become rowdy and undisciplined. It is satisfactory overall. Attendance is unsatisfactory but improving. Students are often not punctual to lessons. QUALITY OF EDUCATION The overall quality of education provided by the school is satisfactory. The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory in Years 7-11. It is good in the sixth form because it strikes a balance between the need to impart knowledge and the need to develop students’ ability to study independently. Teachers organise lessons well, have good subject knowledge and relate well to their students. Nevertheless, some lessons are lacklustre and do not encourage students to learn. In about one in ten lessons the quality is unsatisfactory and even poor. The curriculum is satisfactory but not enough time is spent on teaching it. Provision for vocational courses is inadequate although an improvement on the situation at the time of the last inspection. Care, guidance and support are good. There are also good links with parents and the wider community and very good links with other schools and colleges.